Container with a Thermal Regulating Insert

ABSTRACT

A container with an insert for rapidly lowering the temperature of a heated liquid to an ideal range suitable for human contact and maintaining the liquid in the ideal range for an extended period of time includes an insulated container for holding heated liquid, a thermal regulating insert and means for attaching or stabilizing the insert to the container. The thermal regulating insert has an outer wall made of thermally conductive material and sufficient surface area to promote heat transfer that creates an enclosed chamber. The chamber contains a phase change material for absorbing heat from the heated liquid when the liquid&#39;s temperature is higher than the phase change materials melting point. The insert is removably retained in the fluid-reservoir in the container such that the insert is wholly or substantially spaced apart from the walls of the container and stabilized relative to the container.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to containers designed to contain heated liquids, and more specifically to a container that includes an improved device that is capable of rapidly lowering the temperature of a heated liquid in the container to ideal range suitable for human contact and maintaining the liquid in the ideal range for an extended period of time by using a phase change material filled insert, and including means of attaching the phase change-containing device to the container's inner side wall or inner bottom wall. The phase change-containing device is filled with a phase change material to regulate the temperature of the liquid.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Hot beverages are usually prepared and served at temperatures above the temperature at which most consumers prefer to drink them. Hot drinks can be dangerous to the consumer and can take a long time to naturally cool to a suitable drinking range. If the consumer drinks it, or spills it, before it has had time to cool, they can burn themselves. Coffee and tea specifically are typically served in either conventional reusable cups such as ceramic coffee mugs, insulated travel mugs or disposable paper cups. All of these containers lack the ability to rapidly cool the liquid from the serving temperature down to the ideal consumption temperature and keep it there. Insulated, reusable travel mugs have been a common way to extend the period of time in which the beverage remains hot. However, they prolong the initial period in which the beverage is above the suitable drinking temperature. Disposable paper cups provide poor insulation and the hot liquid can be uncomfortably hot to the hand when holding the cup.

Therefore, it is desirable to rapidly cool a hot beverage from the temperature at which it is served to an acceptable drinking temperature range. Once the beverage is within the acceptable drinking range, it is desirable to maintain the temperature of the beverage within this range for an extended period of time.

Several thermal regulating containers have been proposed—for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,417 (2003) to Kolowich, U.S. Pat. No. 7,431,174 (2004) to Thissen, U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,468 (2009) to Hemminger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,393 (1988) to Baxter all describe a variety of devices that are capable of regulating the temperature of a liquid.

The device described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,634,417 and 7,431,174 both are a containers with a phase change material disposed within a chamber inside the container walls.

The device described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,205,468 is a beverage container with an inner wall with a thermal buffering material and an outer insulating layer and a releasable lid that also contains a thermal buffering material.

The device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,393 is a container with hollow walls and a hollow central member extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The hollow central member wall is integrated into the container walls to form a continuous hollow cavity that houses a phase change material.

While the foregoing devices represent improvements in the field of technology, they also have certain disadvantages. For example, the devices described above all contain phase change material within the side walls of the container. This presents a manufacturing challenge. It is difficult to manufacture a container with a thin hollow chamber in the side walls that houses a phase change material. The side walls must also have sufficient insulation outside of the phase change material which presents further manufacturing challenges. The phase change material is not fully submerged with in the liquid and has one side facing away from the liquid minimizing the temperature regulating effect.

Incorporating the phase change material in the side walls as well as in the lid presents further disadvantages. A cylindrical portion of the lid extending down into the liquid containing phase change material presents the of possibility hot beverage overflow. When placing the lid with the downwardly extending member on the full container, the hot liquid contents would overflow and potentially burn the user. Integrating a cylindrical member extending up from the bottom wall presents further manufacturing disadvantages along with the difficulty to clean the container. The hollow member extending up from, and integrated with, the bottom wall cannot be removed for cleaning.

There is an ongoing need and opportunity therefore for improved container designed with a thermal regulating insert.

Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:

-   -   (a) to provide a container with an insert to place in the         contained heated liquid to rapidly cool the liquid to a suitable         consumption temperature thereafter maintaining that suitable         temperature for an extended period of time allowing for         dedicated insulating container walls allowing liquid temperature         to remain in the ideal range for further extended time.     -   (b) to provide a container with an insert to place in the         contained heated liquid to rapidly cool the liquid to a suitable         consumption temperature thereafter maintaining that suitable         temperature for an extended period of time allowing for phase         change material within said insert to be fully submersed in said         liquid exposing all surfaces for optimum heat transfer.     -   (c) to provide a container with an insert to place in the         contained heated liquid to rapidly cool the liquid to a suitable         consumption temperature thereafter maintaining that suitable         temperature for an extended period of time allowing insert         removal for easy cleaning of container and insert.     -   (d) to provide a container with an insert to place in the         contained heated liquid to rapidly cool the liquid to a suitable         consumption temperature thereafter maintaining that suitable         temperature for an extended period of time allowing insert         attachment or stabilizing means to the internal side walls or         internal bottom wall to prevent heated liquid overflow when         installing a lid.     -   (e) to provide a container with an insert to place in the         contained heated liquid to rapidly cool the liquid to a suitable         consumption temperature thereafter maintaining that suitable         temperature for an extended period of time allowing for simpler         manufacturing through use of a conventional insulated container         and simpler manufacturing with a separate insert housing a phase         change material.     -   (f) to provide a container with an insert to place in the         contained heated liquid to rapidly cool the liquid to a suitable         consumption temperature thereafter maintaining that suitable         temperature for an extended period of time allowing for a         separate insert with additional use as a liquid mixing tool.     -   (g) to provide a container with an insert to place in the         contained heated liquid to rapidly cool the liquid to a suitable         consumption temperature thereafter maintaining that suitable         temperature for an extended period of time allowing for insert         attachment means or stabilizing means to the inner vertical         walls and inner bottom wall of the container to prevent insert         mobility inside the container during use.

Further objects and advantages include better temperature regulation. Better temperature regulation performance was found, in theory and through testing, when placing phase change material in an insert placed in the liquid rather than the side walls. This allows the side walls to be dedicated to insulating the container and it places the phase change material in better contact with the liquid on all sides and positions it within the hottest portion of the liquid.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is defined by a container with a thermal regulating insert to rapidly cool a heated liquid contained in the container to a suitable temperature for human contact by absorbing the excess heat from the liquid in the phase change material housed in the thermal regulating insert. The thermal regulating insert helps to maintain the liquid at an ideal temperature for extended amounts of time by releasing stored heat back into the liquid as needed, that is, as the liquid cools.

The phase change material has a sufficiently high heat of fusion and a sufficiently high heat capacity to efficiently cool the hot liquid to a temperature within an acceptable range for consumption, and to maintain the liquid within that range for an extended period. The phase change material has a melting point close to the ideal liquid temperature for human contact. When the temperature of the liquid is higher than the phase change material's melting point it melts by absorbing heat from the liquid, thus cooling the liquid. The absorbed heat is then slowly released back into the liquid as the temperature of the liquid drops to maintain the ideal temperature after the liquid's temperature is below the freezing point of the phase change material.

The container of the present invention has generally vertical side walls and a horizontal bottom allowing it to define a reservoir for containing liquid. It has a lid to seal the contents with a temporary opening port for consuming the liquid as an option. The container and lid both have sufficient insulating properties for a thermal container. The thermal regulating insert—referred to herein as “thermal regulating insert” and in the shorter form, “insert”—is comprised of a sufficiently thermally conductive outer wall with sufficient surface area that houses the phase change material in an enclosed compartment. The insert has attachment or stabilizing means to attach the insert to the container inner wall or inner bottom wall. In one embodiment of the insert, the cylindrical hollow tube that defines the insert has its bottom end closed. The top end is attached and sealed to a collar. The collar stabilizes the insert against the inner neck of the container and allows liquid to be poured over and through it to prevent overflow. Another embodiment of the insert shows the insert defined by a hollow tube that is filed with the phase change material attached to a threaded receptacle on the bottom end of the container interior, and a handling cap on the top end. The insert according to this embodiment threads into the bottom of the container via the threaded cap and the container threads. Yet another embodiment shows the insert with a stabilizing ring attached to the top of the thermal regulating insert with the bottom closed off. The stabilizing ring stabilizes the insert against the internal wall of the container but allows liquid to be poured from the container or consumed directly from the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and its numerous objects and advantages will be apparent by reference to the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective and partially fragmentary view of a first illustrated embodiment of the invention showing the thermal regulating insert positioned inside the neck of the container via a collar.

FIG. 2 is the top view of the thermal regulating insert with collar removed from the container showing the liquid passthroughs in the collar.

FIG. 3 is the side view of the insert with collar removed from the container.

FIG. 4 is the side section view of the insert with collar removed from the container, taken along the line A-A of FIG. 3 and showing the phase change material contained within the insert body.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a second illustrated embodiment of the invention showing the thermal regulating insert secured to the bottom of the container via threads; in FIG. 5 the near-side of the container is removed to illustrate the interior of the container.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line B-B of FIG. 5, showing the phase change material contained in the insert body.

FIG. 7 is a detail view of Detail D from FIG. 6, showing the threaded engagement between the insert and container shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 a side view of a third illustrated embodiment of the invention showing the insert stabilized to the inner container wall via a supported ring attached to the insert; in FIG. 8 the near side of the container is removed to show the interior.

FIG. 9 is a perspective and partial fragmentary view of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 graphically displays the results of a temperature test of the container with hot liquid poured into it without the insert vs. the container with the insert.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It will be understood that relative directional terms are used at times to describe components of the invention and relative positions of the parts. As a naming convention, the plane of a typical table top onto which a beverage container may be place is, for the purposes of this description, considered to be a generally horizontal surface. Other relative directional terms correspond to this convention: “upper” refers to the direction above and away from the table top plane; “lower” is generally in the opposite direction—that is, downward, “inward” is the direction from the exterior of the container toward the interior of the container, “vertical” is the direction normal to the horizontal plane of the table top, and so on.

A container 10 is provided with a thermal regulating insert 12 for rapidly lowering the temperature of a heated liquid to an ideal range suitable for human consumption and/or contact, and for maintaining the liquid in the ideal range for an extended period of time. The container 10 illustrated herein is shown as a conventional beverage container that is generally a cylindrical body with either vertical (FIG. 1) or sloping (FIG. 5) side walls. The interior walls 14 of the container 10 are sealed at the bottom wall 16 (or the interior is a monolithic piece) so that the container defines a reservoir 18 for containing liquid. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the concepts of the invention described herein extend beyond the specific container configurations shown in the drawings and that they may be used with any variety, shape and size of container. Accordingly, the invention is suitable for many applications with many embodiments. Typically, the inventive container will be used with common hot beverages such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate etc. that are typically brewed and served above a suitable drinking temperature. However, the invention is not limited by these exemplary uses.

The manner of attaching the thermal regulating insert 12 to the inside of the container 10 is an important design feature that makes the invention easier to manufacture, more useful to the consumer and advantageously produces a container having better performance than prior art. The preferred insert 12 is a cylindrical tube 20 that has a metallic skin 22 to promote heat transfer to and from an inner hollow chamber 24 that contains the phase change material 26. The phase change material is placed in the hollow chamber 24 of insert 12 in a liquid state during manufacturing, making the relatively large internal insert volume easier to pour into than thin container side walls as described in some prior art. The cylindrical shape of the tube 20 provides an advantageously high surface area to volume ratio that provides a strong driving force for thermodynamic transfer of energy from the liquid to the phase change material.

The phase change material is a substance with sufficiently high latent heat, or heat of fusion and sufficiently high specific heat capacity and with a melting temperature near the target liquid regulating temperature. Preferably, the phase change material has a solid-to-liquid phase change temperature within the range of about 100 degrees F. to about 160 degrees F. Such materials include but are not limited to salt hydrates, sodium sulfate hydrate, sodium acetate and modified paraffin waxes. Suitable phase change materials for use with the present invention are well-known in the art.

The thermal regulating insert 12 being an independent and separable part from the container 10 has the advantage of both components being manufactured by conventional means. The ideal embodiment has attachment means or stabilizing means between the insert and inner walls of the container—several structures that accomplish the function of stabilizing the insert relative to the container are described below and illustrated in the drawings. This allows placement of the insert in the container prior to pouring in the hot liquid. Some prior art shown the insert attached to the lid and could cause overflow of hot liquids followed by injury. The insert according to the present invention is placed inside the container at the center line of the cylinder formed by said container such that the insert is spaced apart from the side walls of the container. This ideal embodiment creates the highest thermal regulating performance as found from testing and theory. The liquid near the center vertical axis of the container tends to be the hottest. Therefore, placing the insert with the phase change material in the axial center of the container tends to promote the greatest performance.

With returning reference to the drawings, FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a first illustrated embodiment showing the container 10 and a lid 28 in a transparent view in order to show the insert 12 the structures used to stabilize the insert relative to the container. Specifically, an annular collar 30 is attached to the upper end 32 of insert 12. Annular collar 30 has a first outer surface 34 that is adapted for engaging an inner surface of the inner sidewall 14 of container 10 when the insert is placed into the reservoir 18. The first outer surface 34 conforms to the shape of the inner sidewall 14 so that the collar conforms closely to and engages the facing surface of the container with a frictional engagement; if the inner walls of the container are tapered, then the first outer surface 34 is tapered accordingly. If the inner walls are vertical, then the first outer surface is vertical to mate with the inner walls.

A lip 36 extends around annular collar 30 and has a greater diameter from the collar. As best seen in FIG. 1, the lip 36 has a lower edge 38 that rests on the upper edge of container 10 when the insert 12 is placed into the container. With the embodiment of FIG. 1, the lowermost end 40 of insert 12 is suspended above the inner bottom wall 16 of container 10.

Collar 30 includes a cap 39 to which insert 12 is attached at its upper end 32, so that the insert depends downwardly from the cap as best seen in FIG. 4. Plural central openings that allow liquid to be poured into the reservoir 18 with the insert 12 in place in the container, and for liquid to be poured from the container with the insert in place are formed by spokes 43 that radiate from the cap 39 to the inner walls 44 of the collar. Thus, as best shown in FIG. 2, plural openings 42 are defined by the plural spokes 43 that radiate from the center of the collar 30 to the inner walls 44 to define liquid passthroughs or passageways. Preferably, the inner walls 44 of the openings 42 are sloped so that liquid flows out of (and into) the container smoothly. Lid 28 includes an opening port as is conventional with such lids.

A second illustrated embodiment of a container 10 and thermal regulating insert 12 is shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. Like structures in the embodiment of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are assigned the same reference numbers as the same structures in other figures. In this embodiment, the insert 12 is releasably attached to the bottom wall 16 of container 10 with a threaded engagement. Specifically, a receptacle 50 having a central, threaded boss 52 is placed in the container with the threaded boss coaxial with the vertical centerline through the container. The lower end 54 of insert 12 has a threaded cap 56 attached thereto; the threaded cap 56 threads into boss 52 to attach the insert 12 to the container 10.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the insert 12 is oriented extending upwardly along the vertical centerline of the container with the uppermost end 58 is flattened in one dimension to define (see FIG. 6) to define a handling tab to ease threading the insert on and off receptacle 50, and the insert top is at a level that would typically be below the fill level for liquid in the container. The insert 12 is easily removed from the container by grasping the flattened end 58 and unscrewing it from the boss 52 for cleaning.

A third illustrated embodiment of a container 10 and insert 12 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The insert 12 in this embodiment is attached to the container and stabilized relative thereto with an annular collar 60 that has an outer wall 62 that is adapted to engage a facing portion 64 of the inner side wall 14 of container 10 and to thereby stabilize the insert relative to the container. As with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 4, the lower end 40 of insert 12 is suspended above the bottom wall 16 of the container. Moreover, plural openings 44 are formed in the annular collar 60 to facilitate the free flow of liquid into and out of the reservoir 18.

From the foregoing descriptions and the drawings it will be apparent that the ideal embodiment of the invention includes attachment and/or stabilizing means between the thermal regulating insert and container's inner side wall, importantly, always excluding attachment to the container lid. One specific embodiment—that of FIGS. 5, 6 and 7—shows a threaded removable attachment means between the insert and bottom inner surface of the container. It will be appreciated that a bayonet type of attachment would also work well. This embodiment captures the advantages of the invention. It is positioned at the centerline of the liquid for heat transfer while allowing the container walls to be dedicated to insulating. It is placed prior to pouring in the liquid to prevent overflow. And it is removable for easy cleaning and has a secondary use as a liquid mixing utensil.

It is equally apparent that the ideal embodiment of the invention as described and illustrated has attachment or stabilizing means to the container vertical walls or container internal neck. The insert features allow for placement onto tapered vertical walls. As shown but not limited to FIGS. 1-4, 8 and 9, the thermal regulating insert 12 has an annular collar feature that is adapted to be wedged into the internal tapered or vertical walls or internal neck of the container. This embodiment also captures the advantages of the invention: It is positioned at the centerline of the liquid for heat transfer while allowing the container walls to be dedicated to insulating, it is placed in the container prior to pouring in the liquid to prevent overflow, and it is removable for easy cleaning.

In all of the various embodiments described above and shown in the drawings, the thermal regulating insert is retained in the fluid-holding reservoir in the container and is either wholly (e.g., FIG. 1 and FIG. 8) or substantially (e.g., FIG. 5) spaced apart from the interior of the container, yet stabilize relative to the container to eliminate relative movement between the container and the insert.

Further, and advantageously, the apparatus described herein defines a liquid-stirring apparatus that has thermal regulating properties described above. It is apparent from the drawings and the description that a beverage contained in the container may be stirred using the thermal regulating insert, while at the same time reducing the temperature of the beverage and maintaining the temperature at a suitable range for an extended period of time by virtue of the phase change material.

While the present invention has been described in terms of preferred and illustrated embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill that the spirit and scope of the invention is not limited to those embodiments, but extend to the various modifications and equivalents as defined in the appended claims. 

1. A container comprising: a container body defining a reservoir for holding liquid, said body having an open upper end, a closed bottom and an interior surface defined by a side wall; a thermal regulating insert adapted to be removably inserted into the reservoir, said insert having a chamber containing a phase change material disposed therein; and thermal regulating insert attachment means for removably attaching said insert to the container body in the reservoir such that the insert is spaced apart from the side wall of said body.
 2. The container according to claim 1 including a removable cap for selectively closing the open upper end of the container body and wherein the thermal regulating insert is not connected to the cap.
 3. The container according to claim 2 wherein the open upper end of said body is circular and the thermal regulating insert attachment means further comprises a collar having an annular ring with an outer surface, and a lip with a diameter greater than the diameter of the open upper end and said lip rests on said open upper end between said removable cap and said open upper end.
 4. The container according to claim 3 wherein the outer surface conforms to an inner surface of said side wall when said lip is resting on said open upper end.
 5. The container according to claim 4 wherein said collar further includes a central cap to which said thermal regulating insert is attached such that said insert depends downwardly from said cap, and wherein plural openings through said cap are defined by spokes extending radially from said cap to an inner wall of said annular ring.
 6. The container according to claim 4 wherein the thermal regulating insert has a distal end and said distal end is space apart from the closed bottom of said body.
 7. The container according to 2 in which the thermal regulating insert attachment means further comprises a collar having an annular ring with an outer surface and wherein the outer surface conforms to an inner surface of said side wall when said collar is inserted into the reservoir to thereby attach the collar to the body.
 8. The container according to claim 7 wherein said collar further includes a central cap to which said thermal regulating insert is attached such that said insert depends downwardly from said cap, and wherein plural openings through said cap are defined by spokes extending radially from said cap to an inner wall of said annular ring.
 9. The container according to claim 8 wherein said thermal regulating insert has a lower end that is spaced apart from the bottom wall of the body.
 10. The container according to claim 2 in which the thermal regulating insert attachment means further comprises a receptacle on the bottom wall of the body, the receptacle including a boss for removably attaching the thermal regulating insert to the receptacle.
 11. The container according to claim 10 wherein the thermal regulating insert is attached to the boss with a threaded engagement.
 12. The container according to claim 10 wherein the thermal regulating insert is attached to the boss with a bayonet engagement.
 13. The container according to claim 10 wherein the thermal regulating insert has an upper end that is below the cap.
 14. A container comprising: a container body defining a reservoir for holding liquid, said body having an open upper end, a closed bottom and an interior surface defined by a side wall; a thermal regulating insert adapted to be removably inserted into the reservoir, said thermal regulating insert having a chamber containing a phase change material and said insert stabilized relative to said body to eliminate relative movement therebetween; a cap selectively attachable to the body for selectively opening and closing the open upper end; and wherein said thermal regulating insert is not attached to the cap and when said insert is in said chamber said insert is entirely spaced apart from said side wall.
 15. The container according to claim 14 in which the thermal regulating insert is spaced apart from said bottom.
 16. The container according to claim 14 in which the thermal regulating insert is attached to said bottom
 17. The container according to claim 14 wherein said insert is stabilized with an annular collar that has an outer surface that engages the side wall of the body.
 18. A container comprising: a body defining a reservoir for holding liquid, said body having an open upper end, a closed bottom and an interior surface defined by an insulated side wall, said body having a centerline extending therethrough; a thermal regulating insert defined by an elongate member having an elongate axis and a phase change material contained in a chamber in the member, said insert removably retained in the reservoir so that the elongate member is substantially coaxially aligned with the centerline through the body and stabilized relative thereto to prevent relative movement between the body and the insert, said insert substantially spaced apart from said side wall; and a cap selectively attachable to the body for selectively opening and closing the open upper end, wherein said insert is not attached to said cap.
 19. The container according to claim 18 in which said thermal regulating insert is removably retained in the reservoir with an annular collar that has a surface that engages the insulated side wall.
 20. The container according to claim 18 in which said thermal regulating insert is removably retained in the reservoir with a receptacle on the closed bottom end. 